Sheet-feeding apparatus



Jan. 8, 1929. 1,698,400

B. F. GUEST S HEET FEEDING APPARATUS INI/EN TOR.

BY wie@ '254 ATTORNEY,

Patented `8,

* UNITED STATES PATENToF5121ce.

BENJAMIN P. GUEST, or soUTn BEmnLEnEM, PENNSYLVANIA, AssieNon 'ro s'roxns AND sumen COMPANY, oP PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A coaPonA'rIoN or PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed `January My invention relates to apparatus for feedin or withdrawing sheets, as .of paper lor ot er material, one at a time from a pile or stack thereof, to any suitable destination, as to a coating machine which may thereafter apply to the sheet a coating of fluid, as adhesive, wax or the like. v

Itis the object of my invention to overcome the tendency of neighboring sheets in the pile or stack to adhere or otherwise stick to each other, as in the case where the sheets are embossed, or have upon their surfaces materials inducing more or less adhesion, or where the sheets stick to each other at their edges, particularly the edges of notches, as a result of a cutting operation in their formation,.or in the case where the sheets have formed in them registering` perforations, to ensure that the feeding mechanism will withdraw from astack or pile a single sheet only.

To this end there is provided in the feediing apparatus a roller which by suction picks up a sheet, preferably adjacent its ed e, lifting the edge free from the stack an thereupon directing into the gap between the separated sheet andthe stack a blast of fluid, as air which passes between theV selected sheet an the stack throughout the adjacentfaces thereof effectively to separate the sheet from the stack.

My invention resides in apparatus of the character hereinafter described and claimed.

For an illustration of one of the various forms my invention may take, reference is had tothe accom anying drawing, in which Figure 1 isa sidb elevational view, partly in vertical section, of mechanism embodying my invention.

Figure 2'is a partial side elevation.

Upon a table or support 1, vertically movable upon and with` respect to the frame 2, is disposed a stack S, of sheets, as of paper or the like, and more particularly labels or box covers'tobedelivered to adhesive-applying means inadvance of theapplication of the labelsor covers to boxes. e At its rear edge the stackS is confined by aback stop s, and at its forward or right end abuts against the upper portion of the frame member 2, upon which is disposed the holder member 3 carrying, when suitable or desirable, the holder member 4, which are preferably yielding or resilient, and which may be bristle brushes.

The suction roller 5 is provided as usual with the bore 6, with which there is perma SHEET-FEEDING APPARATUS..

31, 1925.V Serial No. 5,950.

nently in communication the pipe or tube 7 connected through the suction breaking valve V with the vacuum or exhaust pump 8. In its periphery the roller 5 is provided with the cup or recess 9 in communication through the passage 10 with the bore 6. i

The support or bar 12 is moved forwardly and backwardly by the rock sha-ft 11 throu h mechanical connections, including the osc1l latlng lever'33, carrying therewith the idler feed roll 13, co-acting with the driven feed roller14', and the tongue or guide member 15. The suction roll 5 is moved upwardly and backwardly, to the right and to the left, above. the stack S by an arm34 connected thereto and dpivoted to the bracket 35 extending u war ly from carriage' 12. To eii'ectdesirabrie partlal rotation of roll 5, the shaft thereof is Journaled in the ends of arm 34, and rollers, not shown, on the ends of the shaft travel along a path defined by the inclined guideway orl bracket 36. The aforesaid movements of rolls 5 and 13, tongue 15 and support 12 and the structure effecting it ismore fully disclosed in Nitsch and Baker application, Serial Number 3,316,f11ed January 19, 1925. Tongue 15 hasanozzle or pass e 16 with which communicates the pipe. or tu 17 communicating at its other end with the interior of the valve member 19 rotatable within the valve casing member 18. The valve member 19 is oscillated vbythe rock shaft 11 thro'ughthe rock lever.20,'pivoted connecting link 21 and arnij22, the last named connected to the valve "member 19. There is delivered through the ipe orv conduit 23 air or other suitable flui under pressure from any suitable source, as a separate air-forcing pump ;l o r, as in the example illustrated, the exhaust of the pump 8. In the example illustrated, the exhaust of the pump 8 communicates with the chamber 24.-, in which may be disposed air-filtering material 25, and which may communicate with the atmosphere through the valve or cock 26, and which delivers air under pressure to the aforesaid passage 23.

The valve member 19 is provided with the bore or passage 27..with which the tube 17 is permanently in communication.v Communicating with the bore 27 are the three passages 28, 29 and 3 0. In the valve casing A18 is a port 31 with which' the conduit 23 communicates, and a second port 32 open to the atmosphere. l

stackl S into vengagement with t e roller 5, which in moving rearwardly rotates in coun-A ter-clockwise direction, lifting the forwardl end of the'sheet clear from the'stack. At Athe same"time the member- 12 has been movedl rearwardly, towardA the left, bringing 'the e or guide member 15 to a position to A tong the left 'of the forward ed e ofthe sheet which has lately been remove from the stack.

Thereupon the valve V opens to atmosphere,

b engagement yof tappet member 37 with tiie stem of valve V las eiected by the bar 38 reciprocable with the carriage or member 12, cuttin E the suction from the'cup- 9 and there y 'releasing the selected sheet,

whose forward end then falls u on the guide surface of the tongue 15. tinuance of the suction andrelease of the 'sheet to 'fall upon the member 15, the valve member19 comes to such position that the passage 29 comes into communication with .l the-port 31, whereupon air under pressure passes through the tube 17 and the nozzle -16 and is delivered as a jet into the space between the now separate sheet and the stack, the ra idly moving air passing rearwardly or to t e left betweenthe separate sheet and the stack S, stripping or completely separating theselected sheet from the stack and permittin its subsequent'feedin by the rolls 13 an 14, which. are now su stantially in contact with each other. Upon the return movement of the member 12 and roller 5 to the extreme forward osition illustrated, the valve V is again close and the valve member 19 rotated to the position indicated, where-` upon the air pressure upon the nozzle 16 is discontinued and theexhaust fromv the pump 8 passes to atmosphere through the ports 30. and 32.

Suitably to adjust the pressure of the air upon the nozzle 16, the opening of the cock 26 to atmosphere may be adjusted' for increasing the pres/sure upon the nozz e 16 the opening of the cock 26 is decreased.

For the sake of brevity in the appended claims, the term air includes air and any other suitable fluid. l

What I claim is:

1.,. A paratus for feedingl sheets from a stack t ereof comprising means for picking la sheet from-the compacted stack, a sheetmoving 'memberA for receiving the sheet .and having a passage, and means for delivering Aair through said 'passage between the sheet and compacted stack to separate them.`

2. A paratus for feeding sheets from a i stack t ereofvcomprising means for picking noname a sheet from vthe stack, a sheet-moving member for receiving the sheet and having a passage, and means for delivering air through said passage after the sheet has been picked from the stack to.` separate the sheet from the stack.

3. A paratus for feeding sheets from a stack t ereof comprising means for picking a sheet `from theA stack, a guide member for receiving the sheet movable with respect to the stack and having a passage. and means for delivering air through said passage between `the sheet and stack to separate them.

4. Apparatus for feeding sheets from a stack thereof comprising means for picking a sheet from the'com acted stack, a guide member for receiving tA esheet movable with respect to the stackl to receive the sheet, said guide. member having a passage, and means for delivering air through said passage while the sheet is u on said guide member for separating the sheet from the compacted stack. u 5. Apparatus for feeding sheets from a stack t ereof comprisin a suction roll for moving a portion of a s eet from the compacted stack, a guide member movabley with res t to the stack for receiving'the sheet an havin a passage, and means o ing air t rough said passage between the sheet and compacted stack for separating them.

6. A paratus for feeding sheets from .a stack t ereof comprisin a suction roll for moving a portion of a s eet from the compacted stack, a-guidel member movable with. res ct to theystack for receiving the shee an Ahaving a passage, and an air pump whose intake is connected with said suction roll 4for `delivering air through said passage between 'the sheet and compacted stacky to separate 7. A paratus for feeding sheets K:from a stack t ereof comprising means for raising a portion of a sheet from vthe stack, a movable guide member for receiving said portion of .the sheet and having a passa y, and means operative after predetermine movement of said guide member for delivering air through said passage between the' sheet and the stack to separate them. 4 K

8. Apparatus for feedingl sheets' from a stack t ereofvcomprising means for picking a sheet from the stack, a ide member for receiving the sheet and havlng a passa e, means for releasing the sheet from sai picking means during movement of said guide memr deliver ber, and means for thereafter deliverin air through said passage for separating the s eet from the stac v 9. A paratus for feeding sheets from a stack t ereof comprsingmeans for icking a sheet from the'stack, a guide mem r for receiving the sheet and having a passage, means for releasing thesheet from said picking means, and means for thereafter delivering air through said' passage for separating the sheet from the stack. v A l 10. Apparatus for feeding sheets from a stack thereof comprising a suctionroll rotatable about its own axis for removing a portion of the sheet from the stack, and a 'gu ber for receiving'the sheet comprising means for ,delivering alr between the sheet and stack for separating them. l

11. The combination with apparatus for feeding sheets from a stack thereof comprising means for picking a sheet from the stack adjacent any edge thereof, a member movable ide mem-V to effect further separation of said sheet from said stack having a passage, and means for delivering air through said passage during movement of said member.

12. The combination with apparatus for feeding sheets from a stack thereof comprising means for picking a sheet from the stack adjacent an edge thereof, a wedge-shaped 4member movable to eect further separation ,of said sheet from said stack havin a passage adjacent its entering edge, an means for dellverlng a1r through sald passage durmg movement of said member.

BENJAMIN F.A GUEST. 

